oak with a tar smell when burned?

[The Dude]

I have lots of beautiful boards that were originally destined to be pallets, just about all red and white oak. Sometimes I get a foul smell from a board or two, like tar or fumes from a big old truck, and can't figure out why. I wondered if it was from chemicals or hopefully something naturally occurring. I don't se any evidence of chemicals on any of the boards, and knowing the source of them I don't see why there would be.

It wasn't that much of a concern, but right now I am buring down some to a bed of coals for dinner on our charcoal grill, and got the smell. There might have been a trace of dark smoke too, or maybe I was just tyring too hard to see it.

I'm hoping to hear that sometimes one or both of these species naturally smells like this!

Thanks,
Tom

 

[bogydave]

Never had natural wood smell like tar.
Strange. Sounds like some of the wood was treated with something.

 

[timusp40]

Pallet wood? Any of it that is destined for overseas shipment in or out of the USA is supposed to be treated for insects to prevent invasion. Yeah sure that worked right? Might be involved here. If you don't know where the wood came from it's going to be pretty hard to determine where the odor came from. Can you see anything obvious with the wood before burning like smell, color or perhaps being heavier from some moisture source? Might not be the best thing to be in the grill.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I certainly would not advise cooking with that wood. Contrary to popular opinion, some pallets are treated. And while on the subject of pallets, not all pallets are super dry and ready to burn. I've seen plenty of green wood used in making pallets and they go out the door right after construction.

 

[Duetech]

Pallet wood throws up some flags because of potential treating. Other than that though I have burned red oak splits and had the same experience. Pine will too. Red oak splinters make great kindling and if you try to rush a a fire on a red oak splinter you can produce black tarry smelling smoke too!

 

[The Dude]

Thanks. I didn't end up cooking with the wood last night; I just let the fire and coals burn out. I should trust my nose. The smell is unnatural. I'll just ask the guy if any of the wood might be treated the next time I see him. I hope I can learn to spot the funky ones. It seems like it's probably one in every 100 or 200 boards that I get the smell.